Duplex envelope and process of manufacturing the same



Sept. 14,1926. 1599;543-

F. J. PARKS DUPLEX ENVELOPE AND PROCESS OF MANUFACTURING THE SAME Filed Dec. 24, 1924 v 1 1 /5 H. I i

Z fi 7 fivvavrae 3 74 W flgwe Patented Sept. 14, 1926.

mars ii.

FREDERICK JAMES PAR 1S, 0 CLEVELAND, OHIO.

DUPLEX ENVELOPE AND PROCESS OF MANUFACTURING THE SAME.

Application filed December 24, 1924;.

My invention relates to envelopes and particularly to commodities of this character of duplex nature. The invention further relates to improved processes for automatically manufacturing duplex envelopes. The particular improved envelope herein shown, described and claimed is designed to receive letters, sealed or unsealed, circulars, etc, in one comparatively small pocket and cata logues, seeds, parcel post fillers, etc, in second andlarger pocket. The envelope is so designed that the small pocket may accommodate first-class matter or cheaper class matter and the large pocket may accommodate cheap class matter, being provided with a flap adapted removably to be inserted in the pocket to close the mouth of the same and retain the filler.

The annexed drawings and the following description set forth in detail certain means embodying my envelope and certain steps constituting my improved process, such means and steps forming, however, but one of the forms in which the principle of the improved envelope may be embodied and but one of the methods in which the improved process may be carried out.

In said annexed drawings:

Figure 1 is a plan view of the blank from which my improved duplex envelope is made;

Figure 2 is a view illustrating the state of the blank after the completion of an initial folding thereof;

Figure 3 is a view illustrating the condition of the blank after the completion of a second folding step, this step resulting in the formation of comparatively large and small pockets;

Figure 4 is a view illustrating the application of gum to the blank form shown in Figure 3, which, gum is utilized for sealing certain side flaps to the body partof the blank to form lateral edge closures for the two pockets;

Figure 5 is a View illustrating the complete envelope after the said side flaps have been folded over and sealed down upon the gum strips heretofore mentionec;

Figure 6 is a view illustrating the opening up of the retaining flap of the larger pocket whereby the filler for said pocket may be inserted therein; and

Figure 7 is a longitudinal section, upon an enlarged scale, taken in the plane indi cated by the line VlI-VII, Figure 5.

Serial No. 757,792.

The blank from which my improve-d duplex envelope is made comprises front and back plies 1 and 2, respectively, both of them preferably substantially rectangular and each of them formed with terminal pol tions 8 and 6, respectively, as plainly shown in Figure 1. Preferably, the terminal portion 6 of the back ply 2 has an extreme end portion 7 of less width than the main portion 2 and the extension 6, this extreme end portion '7 being provided with a strip of dry gum 15. Preferably, also, the two terminal portions 6 and 8 are formed with.

pull-out tabs 11 and 12, respectively. The front ply 1 is wider than the back ply 2 by reason of the provision of a pair of lateral extensions 9 adapted as hereinafter fully described to form side closures for the completed envelope.

The preferred method of large production manufacture of my improved envelope is carried out by machinery, automatically or otherwise. No special construction and operation of scoring, gumming, and side sealing devices, nor any particular construction and operation of the individual folding rolls and guides and stops, is necessary for the automatic manufacture, it being possible to effect these several objects by a variety of forms and combinations of these several structures. It is possible to carry out the improved process of manufacture by means of hand operation, and such operation will now be described in detail and reference made to the accompanying drawing.

The blank 1-2, which has been generally described, and which is illustrated in Figure 1, is folded in a plane somewhat spaced from its transverse median line, as, for instance, the plane 3, Figure 1. The doubled blank thus afforded is then conjointly folded in the plane indicated by the ordinals 4E and 13, Figure 1.

When the first foldingof the blank has been completed, the blank assumes the condition shown in Figure 2 and when the sec ond folding of the blank has been completed, the blank assumes the condition shown in Figure 3. It will be noted that the terminal portion 8 of the blank is of somewhat less width than the terminal portion 6 so that there are a pair of side parts 6" of the terminal member 6 extending beyond the side edges of the terminal member 8, as plainly shown in Figure 3. The completion of the envelope consists in folding all over the pair of lateral extensions 9 formed upon the front ply 1 on the adjacent por tions of the back ply 2 and on the end portions 6 of the terminal member 6 so as to close the envelope at its side edges. it will be noted that the folding of the blank which has heretofore been described provides a closed bottom end 3 and forms a pair of pockets between the plies 1 and. 2 and between the ply 2 and the terminal portion 6. The provision of these pockets constitutes the duplex nature of the envelope and the extreme terminal members 7 and 8 are utilized as removable flaps for securely retaining the postal contents of these two pockets. In the event that it is desired to deposit first-- class mail matter in the smaller pocket constitute-d by the back ply 2 and the terminal member 6, then the gum strip 15 upon the extreme terminal portion '7 is moistened and sealed down upon the back of the rear ply 2 instead of tucking this extreme terminal portion 7 in around the filler contain d in the smaller pocket. It is within the spirit of my invention for this use of the small pocket for first-class mail matter to form the dry gum strip 15 upon the terminal member 6 itself and dispense with the provision of the extreme narrow terminal portion '7 utilized as before stated as a removable iiap when mail matter other than irstclass matter is deposited in the smaller pocket.

The twice folded blank, which is in the condition shown in Figure 3, is then provided with a pair of parallel gum strips 10 by any suitable means, these gum strips 10 being applied adjacently interiorly of scored lines 9 which define the lateral extensions 9 and, in the form of envelope shown, define the amount by which the front ply l is wider than the back ply 2. These gum strips 10 cover the whole longitudinallength of the doubled blank with the exception of short lengths at each end, as plainly shown in F igure 4:, wherein is disclosed just where the gum strips 10 are applied and how the blank appears after such application. These gum strips 10 then extend from a point slightly forwardly of the bottom 3 over the back ply 2 and over the parts 6 of the terminal member 6 to a point somewhat moved from the mouth 14; of the larger envelope pocket, as plainly shown in Figure l. The lateral extensions 9 of the front ply l are then turned over and sealed downvupon the gum strips 10 so that the completed envelope then appears in the condition shown in Figure 5, the sealing being com-v pleted through the medium of any suitable pressing rolls.

lVhen it is desired to deposit the two forms of filler in the envelope which has been completed in the form shown in Figure 5, the large pocket flap 8 is turned forward ly, Figure 6, so that the mouth 14 of the large pocket may be uncovered for the reception of the catalogue, seeds or whatever filler it is desired therein to deposit and the small pocket under the terminal member 6 is filled with the letter or other desired filler and then the extreme terminal member 7 is scaled down upon the back ply 2, if it is desired to send the small pocket filler as first-class mail; otherwise, the flap is tucked in around the small pocket filler. Tl e large flap 8, of course, is tucked in around the filler of the large pocket. In order most conveniently to remove the flaps 7 and 8 from the respective pockets, these flaps are preferably formed with pull-out tabs 11 and 12, plainly shown in Figures 1 to 7, inclusive.

What I claim is:

1. In a process of automatically manufacturing duplex envelopes, the steps which consist, in conjointly folding a two-ply blank, the terminal portion of one of whose plies has an end flap, to form two superposed pockets and a separable closure member for one of said pockets; and folding over and sealing the lateral edges of the blank to close the sides of said pockets.

2. In a process of automatically manufac turing duplex envelopes, the steps which consist, in conjointly folding the ends of a two-ply blank, the terminal portions of whose plies have end flaps, thus forming two superposed pockets, one comparatively smaller than the other, each pocket thus being formed with a separable closure member; and folding over and sealing the lateral edges of the blank to close the sides of said pockets.

3. In a process of automatically manufacturing duplex envelopes, the steps which consist, in doubling a blank having end flaps in a transverse plane somewhat spaced from its median plane, thus forming a twoply blank having a single-ply terminal extension at its open end; conjointly folding the ends of said two-ply blank to form comparatively large and small superposed pockets formed with separable closure members; and folding over and sealing the lateral edges of the blank to close the sides of said pockets.

4. In a process of automatically manufacturing duplex envelopes, the steps which consist, in doubling a blank having end flaps in a transverse plane somewhat spaced from its median plane, thus forming a twoply blank having a single-ply terminal extension at its open end, the lateral edges of the respective plies being out of registry; conjointly folding the ends of said twoply blankto form comparatively large and small superposed pockets formed with separabl-e' closure members; and then folding over and sealing the respective lateral over lapping blank edges upon the adjacent ply and the adjacent ends of the small pocket.

5. A duplex envelope formed from a blank, said blank consisting of a substan tially rectangular portion whose free end is transversely creased to form a pocket, said end being formed with a guinined por tion, said rectangular portion being connected to a wider side edges to be creased and folded and whose free end is creased to form a retaining flap, said flap being narrower than the body part of said second-named portion, said envelope having said two portions folded upon one another to form a second pocket, said first-named pocket and said retaining flap being formed adjacent the mouth of the secondnanied pocket, and side flaps formed along opposite sides of said secondnained portion and folded back and secured to the side edges of the first-named portion and the corresponding edges of said firstnamed pocket. 7

6. A duplex envelope formed from a blank, said blank consisting of a substantially rectangular portion whose free end is transversely double-creased to form a pocket and a. retaining flap, the extreme flap part being narrower than the body part of said portion, said rectangular portion being connected to a wider second portion having side edges to be creased and folded and whose free end is creased to form a retaining flap, said lastnained flap being narrower than the body part of said second-named portion, said envelope having said two portions folded upon one another to form a second pocket,

second portion having said first-named pocket and said secondnalned retaining flap being formed adjacent the mouth of the second-named pocket, and side flaps form-ed along opposite sides of said second-named portion and folded back and secured to the side edges of the firstnained portion and the corresponding edges of said first-named pocket.

7. A duplex envelope formed from a blank, said blank consisting of a substantially rectangular portion whose free end is transversely-double-creased to form a pocket and a retaining flap adapted to be removably folded within said pocket, the extreme flap part being narrower than the body part of said portion, a pull-out for said flap, said rectangula-r portion being connected to a wider second portion having side edges to be creased and folded and whose free end is creased to form a retaining flap, said lastnamed flap being narrower than the body part of said second-named portion, a pul1- out tab for said second-named flap, said envelope having said two portions folded upon one another to form a second pocket, said first named pocket and said secondnained retaining flap being formed adjacent the mouth of the second-nan1ed pocket, and side flaps formed along opposite sides of said second-named portion and folded back and secured to the side edges of the first named portion and the corresponding edges of said first-named pocket.

Signed by me this 17th day of November 1924:.

FREDERICK JAMES PARKS. 

